U. unveils new bus tracking app for campus fleet

On August 2, the Rutgers Campus Bus System shifted from using the TransLoc app to the Passio GO! app for students to see the estimated arrival time of campus buses.

University Spokesperson Dory Devlin said the change is part of a mutual agreement between Transdev, the bus system operator formally named First Transit, and the University not to renew its previous contract with TransLoc.

Devlin said the new contract for the bus tracking software is between Transdev and Passio Technologies and is at a rate of $10,000 per month through July 2026. This contracted cost is the same as under the TransLoc contract and is paid for with funds generated from students' term bills, she said.

Though the app is new, Rutgers bus dispatch operators have used its system since 2018. This experience has allowed for an easy transition for the University, Devlin said.

Students who prefer to use the Rutgers Mobile app to track campus buses cannot currently do so, as the app has not been updated yet, Devlin said. The Office of Information Technology is working on updates and plans to have the trackers working in the app by the first day of classes on September 5.

Rutgers has been updating students about the new app by posting quick response (QR) codes at all campus bus stops and information about it inside the bus fleet. Information about the new app has also been shared with new students during New Student Orientation sessions this summer, Devlin said.

The Rutgers community will also receive an email from the Department of Transportation Services with further details, she said.

"Updating our system to Passio GO! provides a better user experience for our students," Devlin said. "It is a more effective system for the University to use to provide bus information to our riders."